Fire Prevention Week

Last November I joined the Castile Fire Department(CFD). It's kind of a family business: Dad is a first responder and was chief in the 70's, Mom is the Ladies Auxilliary, brother is the current fire chief/EMT-B, SIL is also an EMT-B. I completed my EMT-B course in May of this year. The firehall is only a block from my house so it's an easy jog over when the sirens wail us into service.

This week begins Fire Prevention Week, a national community service project to educate families on safe practices. This year CFD expanded their activities to try to involve more of the community. We demonstrated our new ice rescue equipment in a port-a-tank and used the same water for the kids to play with live hoses. There were two Jaws of Life demos on donated cars. Mercy Flight flew in for a tour of one of their birds and this also completed our landing zone training for the year. There was also a bounce house for the kids and a pig roast.


Just before the second Jaws demonstration the Rescue Captain offered to lend me his turnout gear so I could practice as well. It's unlikely that I would ever use the Jaws in a real accident as I would likely be needed in the ambulance but it was interesting to see what it is like as a fireman with all that heavy gear on, in addition to the heavy equipment. I always gave firemen kudos for the guts to run into burning buildings but now it's more important to thank a fireman for every job they do...I certainly can't handle it. Can you?

Don't forget to Fall Back AND change all smoke detector and CO2 monitor batteries on November 1st.

Orange Crush

Well...it doesn't have borders yet and it clearly needs ironing but I finally purchased a curtain rod and clips to hang quilts in the living room so here it is. Thanks Dad for helping hang the rod :)

Isn't it neat how the blue fabric matches the walls...even tho I started this quilt back when I lived in Miami and long before I dreamed of buying a house in NY or painting the walls "colorado springs" blue.

be nice to me...

...I gave blood today!

This weekend was the annual Harvest Festival. They have an arts & craft show, antique car show, model train display, food court and my fav...historic zone. The historic area has reenactors from many wars along with settlers and almost everything in between. Besides yet another book on lighthouses that I had somehow missed, the only thing I couldn't walk away from was a wooden spoon from the historic zone. They are made by Wonky Wood Works and I picked one made of Birdseye Maple. The proprietor-ess told me I have great taste because they don't get Birdseye very often. I do have a small collection of wooden spoons made of all kinds of wood and designs. My mom has also given me some antique spoons used by right-handed people according to the wear on the bowl of the spoon. Oh yeah, and no thanks to the blood drive recruiter who was standing there barking "blood drive," I did donate a pint of blood.

Last weak was feast and I am hoping this week is famine. Last week I had someplace to be every night after work and this week I am on vacation. I have a quilt class tomorrow night and plans for Thanksgiving but otherwise I want to stay home and sew sew sew. I hope to work on Christmas projects and a few UFOs. I'll get you some pictures later this week, right now I want to get on with the sewing :)